


Sorrow’s Child Lifts Up Her Hand

by Froggimus_Rex



Category: She-Ra and the Princesses of Power (2018)
Genre: Abusive Parent, Bad Touch, Dead Dove: Do Not Eat, Gen, Implied Violence
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-11-26
Updated: 2018-11-26
Packaged: 2019-08-29 18:59:31
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 338
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16749772
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Froggimus_Rex/pseuds/Froggimus_Rex
Summary: When guilt’s fully learnt in early years, it becomes an art.Ovid,Heroides IV, (trans. A.S. Kline)





	Sorrow’s Child Lifts Up Her Hand

Oh, oh no. This was bad. Somehow, she wasn't quite sure, Adora had let herself be careless and foolish and really messed up this time, and now Shadow Weaver was so, so _mad_. The kind of mad where that false veneer of calm that always came down over her rage when Adora put herself between her and Catra was so thin that it as well have been nonexistent and it was all she could do to keep from looking to see if Catra was alright in case it shattered. And Adora didn't even know why.

A muffled groan interrupted Adora's frantic litany of apologies and declarations of responsibility and guilt and promises that it would never, ever happen again and she froze, the moment balanced on a knife edge.

The groan came again. This time it was clearly recognisable as Adora's name.

The knife fell. Shadow Weaver reached out and tilted up her chin, a gentle, barely there touch somehow more terrifying than the bruising grip that had yanked her from the bunk earlier. "Make yourself presentable."

Adora complied, refastening snaps and buckles with trembling fingers and downcast eyes, smoothing down and tucking in her rucked-up shirt. But when she reached for her belt, Shadow Weaver stopped her with a gesture, the belt appearing in her closed fist in a shimmer of red. She held it out to Adora. "Take it."

She knew hesitating would only make everything worse, but still Adora was unable to make herself move, do what Shadow Weaver wanted.

"Adora, do not think to defy me for her sake." Shadow Weaver's hand was still gentle as she cupped her face, but Adora recognised the glittering spiderweb crackle of rage and barely restrained violence under the poisoned honey of her voice. "She _will_ remember her place. I _won't_ ask you again."

It was a choice that wasn't. Swallowing back the acid rising in her throat, numb fingers clumsy and mechanical, the next time Shadow Weaver held out the belt, Adora took it.

She turned around.

**Author's Note:**

> Title from _Sorrow's Child_ by Nick Cave & the Bad Seeds


End file.
